Warriors owners meet again with Mayor Lee, serious about S.F. arena

Golden State Warriors owners Peter Guber and Joe Lacob were spotted grinning and chatting in Civic Center Plaza on Tuesday, the latter even munching on lunch. Asked why they were visiting San Francisco, a jovial Lacob quipped, “For the hot dogs.”

We doubted questionable pork products really lured these titans to City Hall – and lo and behold, we were right. They met with Mayor Ed Lee to further discuss moving the basketball team to San Francisco to play in an arena at Piers 30-32. Lee has traveled to Los Angeles to meet with the new owner and make his case and sent a letter Friday signed by all 11 members of the Board of Supervisors in attempt to lure the Warriors here from Oakland for the 2017 season.

Unlike City Hall’s rejection by the San Francisco 49ers, this time the wooing seems to be mutual. The Warriors have hired Strada Investment Group, led by Jesse Blout, former deputy chief of staff for Mayor Gavin Newsom, and Michael Cohen, previous director of the Mayor’s Office of Economic and Workforce Development. The team has also hired P.J. Johnston, former press secretary for Mayor Willie Brown, and Nathan Ballard, former press secretary for Newsom, to serve as spokespeople.

In other words, the team has hired a group that knows City Hall inside out and has close ties to Lee and other officials. And who has gotten big projects like the America’s Cup, Treasure Island and Hunters Point approved in the often byzantine worlds of San Francisco development and politics.

It’s too early to call the arena a slam dunk, but it’s safe to say the mayor and the Warriors are playing for the same team. And wouldn’t it be ironic if the 5’5” Lee was the mayor to secure a professional basketball team?